- AS THE NIGER MILITARY JUNTA FORMS NEW GOVERNMENT
- AND NIGERIAN ISLAMIC CLERIC’S ALLOWED TO INTERVENE
The Chairman of the West African sub-regional commission, ECOWAS, Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared opened this afternoon the second extraordinary summit of the sub-region group which is ongoing in Abuja, the Federal capital of the country.
In his remarks preceding the official declaration to open the summit, President Tinubu registered his gratitude to the heads of states who have kept faith with democracy, freedom and economic development. He then declared that the commission has gathered with profound sense of urgency to provide solution to the socio-political situation in the sister country, Niger Republic.
The Chairman thereafter acknowledged the presence of special personalities in the summit who were part of the envoy to Niger republic on the instance of the commission. They include: Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, former Nigeria Military Head of state, Abdusalam Abubakar, and Baba Gana Kingibe, former Secretary to the government of the federation. The Chairman appreciated the trio for their patriotism and dedication to the assignment to intervene in the Niger social-political situation to bring stability.
The president also informed in the address that the envoy will “engage the heads of governments with their reports of their engagement with the Junta”.
According to Tinubu, the report of the meeting of the ECOWAS Chiefs of Defense Staff held on 2nd August will also “be presented to inform collective decision making process”.
The Chairman declared that the commission in its first extraordinary summit has decided to explore and “priotize diplomacy” before the use of military campaign against the Niger Military government if it refuse to yield. The summit then is to review the present situation to inform their decision.
He ended his address with the acknowledgement of the heads of AU, and other regional groups present as well as the heads of state of Burundi from the East Africa and Mauritania who was a former member of ECOWAS. He registered his optimism by saying “as we walk together in solidarity and harmony, we can assure a progressive future for the entire continent, not just the sub-region, but our continent, Africa”.
He thereafter informed that the summit will go into close session and declared the summit opened.
NIGER MILITARY HEAD FORMS NEW GOVERNMENT
Meanwhile, the Head of the Military Junta in the Niger Republic, Abdourahamane Tchiani has informed through a decree, the formation of a new government with 21 ministers to work with his military government.
Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, signed the decree on the formation of a new transitional government on Wednesday 8th August. It is worthy to note that the list of the new government ministers read had minority military personnel.
PRESIDENT TINUBU APPROVES ISLAMIC CLERICS FROM NIGERIA TO INTERVENE IN THE NIGER SOCIO-POLITICAL SITUATION
In another development, President Tinubu has approved the request of the Islamic Clerics from Nigeria to intervene in the socio-political situation in Niger Republic.
In his comments, the National Missioner of Ansarudeen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh AbdulRahman Olanrewaju Ahmad remarked that President Tinubu as the Chairman of ECOWAS “will do everything to ensure that there is democracy, justice, freedom and peace in the sub-region, we …are also committed to peace and justice”.